2012 To-Do's and Wishlist

The Loves of My Life. 2012 and Beyond

I usually write my New Year's wishlist since I was in kindergarten. My first teacher, Miss Belo [of course, not "the Vicky Belo"] mounted the belief that if we put wishes into writing, we will get it off our minds and it will have the chance become real. Although kindergarten was so long ago, I got the habit of just getting it off my mind.

Last year, I wasn't able to do so because I was too busy being a new mom and just recently, I was too caught up in Ram's arms...but I guess its not yet too late. It's still the first month of the year so I'd better.

1. New Hair. I want to cut it short for a little self-reinvention, but Ram doesn't like it. Alright, halfway short then. I'll see what I can do.

2. Enroll Biscocho in Day Care. He will be having Music School next week, but we'll see what we can do with the nearby Day Care. Interaction with other kids will lessen his Brainy Baby viewing and get real.


3. A Tutu Skirt or Tulle Skirt. I don't care if I will look like a pumpkin. Basta, I want one. Ram already got me a bandage skirt for New Year and it was so 'pinkily delightful'! Thank you, Honey!

Okay, let's get a bit pricey.

4. Superzoom Lens. A Nikorr Lens: AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR IF-ED. Now, what?

Now let's get priceless.

5. Baby Girl Rubinos. Please, Mr. Rubinos, I'm begging you! :-(

Wish me luck. ;)

Missing Mommy

 



 This Mommy is missing. She is all that her son wants for Chistmas. We offer our prayers that Mommy Coleen be safely home soon.

This is heartbreaking FB post from Definitely FIlipino caught me contemplating about how I was able to cross my first year as a mother. I always come home to my son, but there are times that I, too, disappeared.

I have always told Biscocho that he is the son that I have exactly asked the Lord for. There may be disputes and we sometimes get a little tough, struggling from each other's grip but nothing can not be settled with a bottle of milk. Nadadaan naman sa ma-boteng usapan. Undeniably, everyday is a love story waiting to be told.

Baby B, this comes to apologize for the times when you have tried your best to wait up for me to come home from work and I forgot to give you your well deserved hug. Over the year, you have given me all the courage to come home even if I am so scared to. You kept me in one place.

I am sorry that sometimes I have disappeared because I was too hurt.

Always...always have faith that Mommy will come home to you. 


Coleen Gabrido, Missing since December 6, 2011 Family's Contact info: 0915-9013848 
*Her child's wish for Christmas is for his mommy to come home. Please offer your prayers that a child's wish will come true. Please keep on sharing. This has been verified with the husband. Details of her disappearance are as follows: She is a registered nurse and left the house at around 1pm of December 6, 2011 for her IELTS review. The couple didn't have any previous arguments to consider Coleen running away, they also have a 6 year old child to care for and big plans for their family The husband has reported Coleen missing to the police and she was last seen at their Project 6 home. Before she left their house, Coleen messaged her husband at about 12:40pm on December 6 saying, "Dad, papasok na ako. (Dad, I'm going to school)". That was the last text he received from her. The review center is just 15 minutes away from their home. Coleen's husband tried to contact her mobile phone upon finding that his wife hasn't returned yet nor replied back to his messages. Her phone was still ringing on December 6 but on the next day, December 7 after 5pm, she can no longer be contacted. Coleen is about 5'4" tall with an estimated weight 120-125lbs. The young mom at 26 had with her, her Nine West black shoulder bag, mobile phone, books and wallet. She did not leave their house with any extra clothing to dispute thoughts that she might have run away. From her review class, Coleen usually arrives at around 10-10:30pm but she did not get to come home since the night of December 6, 2011. Please refrain from posting needless comments, Coleen's child can already read and unguarded words can do more damage than good.

Walks of Life: Fishers of Men

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

From the water, a thin, frail looking man with rolled nets came about. Minutes ago, only his head could be seen above water. As he continued to walk from the water towards the shore, a beaming smile could be seen on his face.


We continued taking pictures along the beach, as our overnight stay at Almalin Resort in Lobo, Batangas is about to end. We had to leave by mid-morning to catch a side trip to the nearby Malabrigo lighthouse. The 'AquaMan' (since I did not know where he came from other than the water) kept on stealing glances at us and smiles when we laugh. Then, I decided its time.


I walked over to him as he dug a long stick into the soft sand. He fumbled on his tangled nets as we exchanged "Good mornings."

Setting up the stick to help him untangle his nets.

I used to be a foreigner, too.

Untangling the nets.

"Ano ba yang mga kasama mo Ineng? Taga-saan ba kayo? (Where are your friends from? Where are you from)?"

"Taga Makati po kami Kuya. Mga foreigner po sila. Magkakasama kami sa trabaho.(We are from Makati. They are foreigners. We all work together.)"

Reminiscing his experience abroad.

This is something that I love to do.

He introduced himself as Kuya E. He has a family and they live nearby. He said that fishing is a part of his daily morning routine. 

"What do you do with the fishes Kuya? Do you sell them? How much?"


"Naku, hindi Ineng. Pang kain lang namin. Konti lang naman ang kinukuha ko. (Oh, no. We consume it. I only get enough.)


From there, he told me that he is not a 'commercial' fisherman. It is just something that he loves to do. He is almost 60 years old, a grandfather, and a father to professionals. He used to travel for work. He had been to Japan and Guam to work for his family until his children finished school. 


He glanced at my colleagues playing on the shore and said,  "Buti naman at nag-eenjoy sila dito. (Its a good thing that they enjoy it here.)"

Posing with Hao - my Vietnamese colleague.

He began to tell me of some of his experiences abroad. There were times that the loneliness is too much to bear. He said he wanted to go home to the Philippines, but he could not because it would deplete his savings - if he only knew - that he is face to face with someone who's done it quite a few times.


Anyway, I asked him why he loved to fish as his morning exercise. Why not biking? Or jogging? What's with the fish, Kuya?


The fishy question got a personal answer. 


"Alam mo Ineng, nung kabataan ko, balak ko sanang maging pari. Di ba ang mga disipulo ay pawang mga mangingisda? (You know,  when I was a lot younger, I wanted to be a priest. Just like the disciples - aren't some of them fishermen)?" 

He started to account his unrequited dream. "Kapag nangingisda ako naiisip ko yung sabi ni Kristo na 'be like fishers of men'. Noon, gusto kong makapagsilbi sa mas maraming tao at makuha and loob nila para sa Panginoon. (Every time I am fishing, I think about what Christ said, 'be like fishers of men.' I really want to touch other peoples lives through service and lead them back to the Lord.)"


"What prevented you from doing so? There must be a pretty good reason for choosing the another path." 

I wanted to be a priest.

"Nagkapamilya eh.Siguro hindi ko kakayanin kasi masyadong malaki ang mundo para mabago ko. Na realize ko nung nagkapamilya ako at nagtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Nabago ko ang buhay ng pamilya ko. Napagtapos ko ang mga anak ko. (I was able to have a family. Maybe because the world is too much for me to change. I realized this when I had my family. I was able to change my own family's life by having my children finish school.)"


And he asked for me to note, "Hindi mo kailangang baguhin ang mundo para may maibalik ka sa Kanya. Tama na may pagbabago kang magagawa para sa mga taong mahal mo."

Make a difference by showing your love.

Priesthood never occurred to me, but I have to agree. "You do not need to change the world to give back to the Maker. It is enough that you can make a difference in the lives of the people you love."


With that small talk during that small walk, Kuya E got me fishing for more way to show much love. A fisher of man, indeed.

Pasalubong ni Yulanda :)

When it comes to make up pasalubong, no one takes the chance to choose first but me! Thanks, cousin Ulyn...Labyu! She offered me some pieces to pick from saying in Kinaray-a, "Teng, tapos kaw ron telebabad? Pili ron jan. Pagusto kaw, and bilin lang anda!"

Yehey! Salamat, Saudi Real! Hihi.^^

When it comes to great lashes, I am all praises for Maybelline - no promise left unkept.  This time, here's the promise of Maybelline Define-A-Lash Lengthening Waterproof Mascara™ :

• Zero-clump mascara creates stunning length with clean definition

When I was putting it on, it seems that the rubber brush would give way. Are my lashes too stiff? Control was very much out of control on the first application. Before the first coat dried out, I tried putting on another coat hoping that the clump on my first attempt would go away. This time, things began to go easy, then on the last and final coat - voila! No clump, and softer flashy, lashes than I ever imagined it to be. 

Looks flashy in green and making eyelashes flashy in 'noir'.

 

 

 

 

Aside from this I have chosen some pretty nice stuff that I am so anxious to try in the coming days. Like the one I did this morning - Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer™ in Sand 05 Shade. I thought it was too light for my skin tone. No dark circles under my eyes. I needed rescue since I only had four hours of sleep for the past two nights.

Soft and foamy gives good coverage.

 As of this time, two more products are at bay for the dry run:

NYX Chrome Loose Eyeshadow™ in shade CES 22-Space.

Max Factor Sheer Silk Gloss™ in Frosted Berry.

Loving make-up is like loving a flower that beautifies the world. =) Yet still, the best make up is a kind heart. Definitely waterproof.

“Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.”
― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger